Reminiscence
by Colors-of-Fire
Summary: Colonization sucks. Story of the past, leading to present day. AussieNesia.


**I actually made this for a contest on deviantART. But I wanted to post this here too. :D  
**

**Author's note: ****In this fic I'm not using anyone's Indonesia. I am using the general view of Indonesia in Hetalia. Australia and Japan belongs to Himaruya, and so does Hetalia. Also to be mentioned, 'Yolngu' is Aboriginal!Australia. He existed before Britain colonized Aussie.**  


* * *

Indonesia held her head down as Australian sea patrols yelled at her sailors. It was her fifth attempt to try and enter Australia, and yet there was no success. She separated from her vessel and was taken to shore by the Australian guards, where Netherlands would come take her home.

The little girl sat quietly on the beach, surrounded tightly by men with guns. She had just wanted to see her friend; a boy named Yolngu. They had been separated for a long time, and she worried for him. Despite the struggle it took to get on a boat to him, she didn't care. It was worth escaping her room, through the window or through the door. Through the forest or the fields. It didn't matter. Her friend was what mattered.

She hugged her legs to her chest as she shuddered against the ocean breeze. A shadow of a boat appeared on the horizon. It grew bigger and bigger as it got closer, and when it was an enough distance away, a rowboat was deployed and sailed towards the beach. When it docked, Netherlands stepped on to the sandy beach. "Get up, Indie. We are visitng Britain."

Indie, the little girl, got up as she followed the Dutchman into Australian territory. She kept silent the whole way until they met with Britain and two boys. Netherlands started light conversation with the Englishman, but Indie could detect conflict in their eyes. But she kept quiet.

Her eyes searched around for something to look at until eventually she found the two boys. One of them had curly blond hair and green eyes, while the other had messy brown combed back hair and lighter green eyes. He had a bandage on his nose and Britain's eyebrows. Indie froze there, at the brunette, her tired eyes observed him from head to toe. She took a small step forward, and the Dutchman placed his large hand on her shoulder, restraining her. "Yolngu..."

Britain continued to speak to Netherlands, seemingly engaged in an interesting conversation, but Indie didn't listen. She stared at the boy with brown hair. She knew him. She knew his face well. She knew his eyes just as well. She _knew_him. "Yolngu..." She moved forward again and Netherlands pulled her back.

"Let me introduce you." Britain's voice became clear to Indie's ears. "This lad's name is New Zealand, and his brother, Australia."

"YOLNGU!" Indie yelled this time. Netherlands nails dug into her shoulder, but she was too anxious to notice.

"Who's Yolngu?"

Indie stopped, the pain on her shoulder suddenly became clear as she winced and took a step back. One of her eyes were shut as she tried to cope with the pain, and Netherlands was still digging his nails deeper. She put a hand up and gripped the Dutchman's large hand, hoping for some relief.

"My name is Australia."

Her attention turned back to the brown haired boy. Had she mistaken him for Yolngu? No, that's impossible. She knew every strand of hair of her friend, and she knew that this was him. He's not Australia. He's Yolngu.

"Who are you?"

A new pain stabbed her chest. Her breath hitched and her eyes stung. "W-what...?"

"This girl is Nederlandsch-Indie. Or as Britain calls her, Dutch East Indies." Netherlands said, giving a slight jerk. Indie stumbled a bit, grunting a small grunt as she held her head down, a bit embarrassed and a lot sad.

"S-salam kenal..." She stuttered.

* * *

**7th September, 1944**

Indie panted heavily. Her eyes snapped to and fro, cautious of even the slightest movement. Her entire body trembled as she barely held on to her knife. She felt horrible. She felt like a small deer, and she knew well that there were wolves hunting her down. She ran and ran and ran, but it seemed like it was to no use. Japan had surrendered from the war and things were falling apart for him. The Allied forces were bombing every base he had, clearing absolutely everything. It hurt when they 'clear things' with bombs in her territory, but that was what needed to be done.

And yet that wasn't it. Because of Japan's surrender, Indie is left unoccupied, and Netherlands had persistently came back again. He hunted her down, and with Britain and Australia as allies, they were both under obligations to help.

Australia had managed to occupy eastern Java. Indie clutched her chest as her breath once again hitched, but she shook her head. After years of being in conflict with herself, she had come to a conclusion that her friend was gone. Australia was not Yolngu. No matter how they resembled each other. So she had tried to let go. She tried to make it that Yolngu will sadly only be in her memory.

Lightly sighing, she held her breath as she slid under a collapsed wall, entering the building that was blocked off by the fallen cinder block. Indie took a deep breath, her chest heaving as she peeled the duffel bag off her back. Shakily, Indie sheathed her knife as she walked to the side of the building, one that had a shelter built over it. Slowly, she knelt right next to a bed, where an injured Japan was resting. She pulled out some medicine and bandages, and went to work on him.

Wounds were cleaned, some stitched, and then bandaged. Broken limbs were set back to its original position and was smothered with natural pain killers. And after she was done, Japan slowly awoke and glanced at her. "Nusantara-san..." He breathed tiredly.

The young girl looked up, her eyes just as weary. "Yes?"

"I... I'm sorry... For what I did to you..." He said shakily. "I've treated you horribly... I've deceived you, and hurt you in more ways than one... And yet you are still helping me..."

She stared the bandage on him and shrugged. "You helped me on one occasion... I suppose..."

"Nusantara-san?"

"Yes?"

"I want to give you your independence. You have my word for it."

* * *

**20th July, 1947**

"No! You are _my_colony!" Netherlands yelled, slamming his hands down on the table, rising from his chair.

"I am _not_your colony anymore! I am a free nation and there is nothing you can do to take me back!" Indie yelled, just as loud, also rising to her feet.

"You are Nederlandsch-Indie! My colony! You are and will always be!"

"MY NAME IS INDONESIA!" Her voice rang, and shook the room. The other nations flinched. "I am my own nation! Not your colony! You coward! If you wanted me that bad, I'd like to see you _try_and get me yourself without using someone for your dirty work!"

The Dutchman's face flared red from embarrassment, but soon clutched his fists. "If that is what you wish, Indie, then shall be it. Just you wait."

After recovering from surprise, America had called the meeting over. Netherlands left in a huff, and Indie, now Indonesia, stayed after most of the nations left.

Australia watched her from his seat. She had a serious expression, her brows knitted together as she was deep in thought. She was troubled, he could tell, and when she got up, he did as well. Because of that, she looked over to him. Her eyes were nearly blank, but they had intense seriousness in them. And then, she turned away.

* * *

**30th July, 1947**

Another world conference. Indonesia and Netherlands had engaged in yet another glaring contest.

The Dutchman had an obvious frown on his face as he crossed his arms, but along with it was a proud figure. The Indonesian was scowling as her eyes were narrowed, her right arm in a cast and her head bandaged with a patch over her right eye.

The other nations would stare at her with pity for a moment before going back to their own business. Since the last conference, Netherlands had launched major military offensive in Java and Sumatra. The fight may be considered significant to most nations, but it was a big deal to the nations involved. Indonesia growled out a huff as she stacked her conference papers, having trouble doing so with only her left arm, and also the fact that her eyes, well, er, eye, were still narrowed frustratedly at the Dutchman.

Australia watched from the distance of his seat. He was fascinated at this nation. His boss had warned him that she is a potential threat, and yet she is crucial to him. She attracted him. In a way. They had many things in common, and though they rarely talk directly to each other, he enjoyed their conversations. He's seen the things that Netherlands had done to her. Why isn't the UN Security Council doing anything about it?

The meeting began. Complaints were raised and soon resolved. Some debates and some clashed opinions, but decisions were made in the end. And yet, no one bothered to solve the Netherlands-Indonesia conflict. "Any more problems?" America's voice rang.

"Aye, over here, mate." Australia spoke.

"Australia, what's the problem?" The nations put their attention to him.

"I want to refer the conflict between Netherlands and Indonesia, mate. And I name Netherlands as a violator of peace."

Netherlands' eyes widened in shock as he pried his glare off of Indonesia, now staring at Australia with wide shocked eyes, as did most other nations, though Britain seemed quite pleased. Indonesia also looked at him, and Australia wasn't sure if it were a smile on her face at that time, but he was sure he saw her eyes glimmer.

* * *

**1st August, 1947**

The UN Security Council had ordered a cease-fire and established a committee to broker a truce and a renewal of negotiations as a response to Australia's complaint. This caused both Netherlands and Indonesia to be busy searching for members to join their committee.

Australia hummed absently as he read the morning papers, his companion the koala bear clinging faithfully to his shoulder, keeping him company through the early day. He flipped through the pages, stopping for a moment to read the sports page, but then moved on. He honestly felt like an old man reading the papers. An old _married_man. Frowning and grumbling to himself, he looked at the koala on his shoulder. "Do I look like a married man to you, mate?" He asked. The koala stared at him with its beady eyes before actually shrugging.

Australia chuckled to himself before going back to his paper, though he was interrupted again when a series of knocks came on his front door. Looking up, both he and his koala wondered who it could be. He set the papers down on the couch he sat on as he got to his feet, his koala coming along for the ride.

The knocking continued persistently, though not demandingly. "A'ight, A'ight, don't get your whiskers in a knot, I'm coming." Australia mumbled to whoever was behind the door. Upon reaching it, he unlocked it and turned the knob. "Yes?-"

He grew quiet as he stared at his guest, quite surprised from the looks of it.

Indonesia stood on his front porch, a small smile on her lips along with some papers in her arms. The young nation's smile grew as she looked at him. Australia could see that she was still the same as from the last time they saw each other, with the cast and bandages and everything. "Selamat pagi, Australia. May I please come in? There's something I want to talk about."

A few moments of silence passed by as Australia stared. Indonesia looked back at him with her smile still intact, waiting patiently for his answer. "Oh, y-yeah, go ahead, mate." He stepped back and gave her some room to walk inside. She did so politely, humbly. Like a lady one would think. And maybe she was. "Make yourself at home."

Australia showed her to the living room and they sat on the couches, across from each other. Indonesia sat quite neatly. She was clearly considering that she was a guest in someone else's house. "Do you want anything to drink, mate?"

The Indonesian girl smiled gratefully. "No, but thank you. I'm quite fine." She said politely, and Australia nodded. "But, I do want to thank you for bringing up my conflict before. I hope to resolve it soon."

"Oh yea, how are you on that? Is your committee going alright?"

"That's what I want to talk to you about." She resorted back to her papers before smiling at him once more. "I would like to have you on my committee, Australia."

Australia's eyes widened in surprise, but how could he refuse? And so, the Renville Truce Agreement of January 1948 was made.

* * *

**1964-1980**

Many things happened through the years. Though unclaimed, the war between the two sisters Malaysia and Indonesia had shocked everyone. The eldest had not accepted that since the existence of her sister as a nation, she had started to pick fights, and she did so unwisely. Without hesitation, Indonesia's boss Soekarno, launched an offensive against her younger sibling to teach her a lesson. It was a family matter one would think, but Indonesia's actions were not supported by many.

Australia found her motion to be quite ridiculous himself, and as important she may be for him, she was still a threat. He took Malaysia's side.

But that decision proved to be slightly unwise. Indonesia was enraged, and apparently turned on him too. It was then she truly registered that Australia was not Yolngu. He was not her friend who had planted tamarind seeds with her. He was not her friend who had caught sea cucumbers with her. And he was definitely not her friend who had given her all the pearls she could possibly need. No, Australia was completely someone else.

The war ended with Indonesia's loss, but with the help of her new boss Soeharto, the existence of her younger sister as a nation was accepted, and the fights were tolerated. But scars still showed. Forgiveness was not yet fully accepted by either sides, and the two remained in silent conflict. And from that moment, Indonesia was changed.

With her new boss, she had reverted her ways on communism, and that proved to be a positive reinforcement for Australia, but then there was East Timor. The two were torn apart once again as they debated on the fate of the small nation. And on November 28, 1975, East Timor was freed from Indonesia.

The said notion ripped the rift between Indonesia and Australia as it grew even wider. But Australia had tried, he really did, to fix that rift. Even though the debates they had against each other, he still supported her. He even supported her motion to invade East Timor. But that proved to be close to nothing. The rift was still there, and as wide as ever.

On orders by his Prime Minister, Australia had come to visit the equator's emerald. Things were going well so far. He was greeted warmly at the airport. The nation herself was also there, but she had changed. Her eyes stared sharply into his, her expression cold, and her body language stiff, her lips were smoothed into a tight line and barely spoke.

Australia gulped subconsciously, the words of his Prime Minister, Paul Keating, repeated in his mind. He needed to get this right. And so he took a deep breath. He had chosen the right words to say, but when he was about to say them, Indonesia had turned and gestured him to follow. She was not the gentle lady he had known years ago. She had changed.

They rode silently in the vehicle to the Merdeka Palace. His attempts to create small conversation were often ignored, and so they remained quiet. The destination was quite far away, and it felt even further than it should be with the painful silence. And upon arrival, Indonesia's boss, Soeharto, had greeted them both warmly, but the young nation strode right past him and left Australia to her boss. Ouch.

"Please forgive her rudeness." Soeharto said with a sigh. "We aren't quite as stable as we want to be yet. But please don't let that stop you from having a good time here. Speaking of which, what brings you here, Australia?"

"I'm here for Indonesia, sir." Australia said. "My boss' orders."

"Then please, go ahead." Soeharto presented him to the structure Indonesia had retreated in. Without much to say, Australia trudged his way in. After asking around many times, he ended up in the garden.

He found her sitting on one of the benches by herself. Her back was facing him, so she didn't see him as he walked towards her. Or so he thought. When he was about to touch her shoulder, she whipped around and in a moment, Australia found a sharp blade of a keris pointed at his nose threateningly. Her expression was cold, and her eyes sharp. "Don't come near me."

He blinked. "Why not, mate? Why can't we be friends? Neighbors shouldn't turn on neighbors."

Indonesia was silent, but her glare was still there. Australia put his hands up. "I mean you no harm, mate."

Silence.

"Come on, mate. Do I look like I want to cause trouble?"

Her gaze softened as she lowered her keris. Her boss would've wanted her to make peace. Ah yes... Sweet, sweet harmony. Just like the old days.

Slowly, Indonesia returned the blade to its sheath on her belt, and sat back down, looking quietly to the ground. Australia noted, she sat like a boy, and she was wearing a _men's_military uniform. She really had changed. Cautiously, Australia sat next to her, and slowly, he smiled.

_No country is more important to Australia than Indonesia. If we fail to get this relationship right, and fail to nurture and develop it, the whole web of our foreign relations is incomplete._

"Why are you here, Australia?" Indonesia said with a sigh.

_"I want you back."_His mind uttered, but he shook his head subconsciously. "Well, as neighbors, I figured we shouldn't fight." He looped his arm over her shoulders. He felt her tense up. "We have a lot of things in common, Nesia. Let's be friends."

"Aren't we already?"

"Hmmm..." He leaned his head on to hers, and since she was shorter, he used her head like a stool. "Not quite, mate."

She pinched his cheek quite hard and Australia winced as got his head off of her. "You're right." She mumbled. Australia watched her as she made a small pout with her lips. "You already missed thirty-five of my birthdays, which means you owe me thirty-five presents, and the presents for my future birthdays."

* * *

**2012-Present day**

Indonesia mused to herself as she helped prepare for her independence day. She had put up the decorations around the streets and put up some banners. It was a nice day. Her neighborhood was looking quite lively as the people prepared for the 17th of August. It made her smile to see them care so much for her. She may not be as popular as her sisters to most nations, but the love her people had for her was enough, and nothing else mattered.

She grinned widely as she entered her house, but her grin soon dropped once she saw that her living room was piled with presents. She counted, and there were sixty-five, all labelled, 'From Australia'.

Her grin returned as she picked up a letter on her coffee table. She opened the envelope and started to read its contents.

_'This is officially your sixty-sixth present, mate! What it might be you ask? Well, I convinced America and the others to bombard you with birthday presents this year! Pretty awesome eh, mate? And you noticed I pretty much covered all your birthdays, and I think I'll give you TWO presents for your sixty-seventh. And guess what? I'll personally deliver them. Sound good, mate? Yea, you can thank me later with kisses.'_

Sincerely, Australia.

Her face turned red at the last bit, but she smirked. Maybe she won't kiss him, but she figured a small prank would do.

Oh yes, Indonesia is a mischievous nation indeed.

The nation chuckled to herself. She had thought that he forgot all about that deal, and the fact that she was also kidding that time, but he got it all just like he promised he would. With the time taken, it was clear he must've chosen the presents quite carefully, and the fact that they weren't over the top made her even happier.

She hugged the letter happily, closing her eyes, she couldn't imagine what he would get her for her sixty-seventh birthday, or what the other nations would give her at that. Australia was more considerate than he might look. Even if he did have other intentions in mind.

And it's true that Australia isn't Yolngu, and it's true that he was truly someone else. And Yolngu was a dear friend, and she would always remember him, but she had learned to open up to someone new. She knew well that life will always be hard for her, and for Australia to maintain good friendship, but that doesn't mean that things won't get better. And they will be. The past is the past, and she had learned to look to the future.

Indonesia watched as the clock struck six, signaling the sun's departure. With a smile on her face as she sat in the center of the ocean of presents, Indonesia closed her eyes, expectantly awaiting her birthday, and also awaiting to see her friend who lives in the Outback. And with a silent farewell to her friend Yolngu, Indonesia never looked back.

* * *

**HISTORY LESSON TIME:  
**

*******Australia-Indonesia relations**

Since Indonesian independence, the two countries have maintained mutual diplomatic relations, formalised co-operation (especially in the fields of fisheries conservation, law enforcement, and justice cooperation), a measure of security co-operation, broadening treaty relationships, co-membership of regional forums, and co-participation in several multilateral Treaties of significance.

The two nations differ in terms of religion and language. Recent years have seen a deepening of Australia's aid commitment to Indonesia, and Australia has become a popular venue for Indonesian students.

In 2008-09, Indonesia is the largest recipient of Australian aid at a value of AUD462 million.

***Australian Colonial era**

From the 1870s Indonesians were recruited to work in the pearling and sugar cane industries in northern Australia. Around 1,000 Indonesians were living in Australia by Federation, almost all in Queensland and Western Australia. With the introduction of the White Australia Policy in 1901, most sugar workers returned to Indonesia, although some pearl divers remained. Few settled in Victoria, and those who did were probably Dutch Indonesians – the Netherlands had controlled the Indonesian archipelago since the 19th century.

***Indonesian National Revolution**

Following the Japanese surrender at end of the Second World War, Australian forces occupied Eastern Indonesia in coordination with the British Southeast Asia Command's occupation of Java. As Allies during the War, Australia and Britain were both under obligations to help the Netherlands restore control over the former Dutch East Indies. Australian forces also participated during the Borneo campaign alongside American forces particularly the Battle of Balikpapan in 1945. On 17 August 1945, Indonesian nationalist leaders Sukarno and Mohammed Hatta proclaimed the independence of the Republic of Indonesia.

Despite sympathies among the political left for the Indonesian Revolution, Australia cautiously withheld de facto recognition of the Republic until 9 July 1947, and then only over the regions of Java, Sumatra, and Madura Following frustrations over negotiations with Indonesian republicans, the Netherlands launched a major military offensive in Java and Sumatra on 20 July 1947. From that point and until Netherlands recognition of Indonesian independence in December 1949, Australian waterside workers banned Dutch vessels and vessels taking munitions and equipment to the Netherlands East Indies.

On 30 July 1947 Australia referred the conflict to the United Nations Security Council naming the Netherlands as the violators of the peace. Later, Australia raised the matter of Indonesia's decolonization in United Nations. On 1 August 1947 the UN Security Council ordered a cease-fire and established a committee to broker a truce and a renewal of negotiations. The Indonesian Republic nominated Australia to sit on that committee. The committee produced the Renville Truce Agreement of January 1948. The Dutch launched a second major military offensive, occupying Republican territory in Java. Following a Dutch-Indonesian Round Table Conference from August to November 1949, Republic of Indonesia sovereignty over Indonesia was officially recognized in December 1949.

***The Sukarno era**

The Menzies Government in Australia held strong reservations about Sukarno's flirtation with the Indonesian Communist Party continuing through to 1965.

In 1962 Sukarno and his communist allies began a propaganda campaign to seize Irian Barat. The Australian Joint Parliamentary Committee on Foreign Affairs took the view that it was important that such a campaign should fail. However, the territory was transferred to Indonesia in 1963 and achieved its incorporation as such in 1969.

Australia conducted warfare in aid of Malaysia against Indonesia at the time of the Konfrontasi from 1964 until August 1966. Australian forces in Sarawak were frequently deployed across the border into Indonesia to ambush patrols moving towards Malaysia during 1965 and 1966. Even during the course of the Indonesian defeat a number of Indonesian army officers were still receiving their military education in Australia. 22 Australian soldiers died during the deployment, of which 7 were killed in action.

***The Suharto era and East Timor**

On 11 March 1966, Suharto was installed as Indonesia's Acting President and then made President in March 1968. Robust anti-communism characterised his administration through until his resignation in 1998, and that proved to be a point of common cause with successive Australian administrations.

East Timor has been a central issue in Australian-Indonesian relations since the time of the territory's decolonisation from Portugal and its subsequent invasion and annexation by Indonesia in the mid-1970s. On 16 October 1975 at Balibo, Portuguese Timor, members of the invading Indonesian military murdered five Australian journalists who had been reporting events in the build up to Operasi Seroja. The circumstances of their executions is a matter of current coronial investigation in New South Wales, Australia.

Prime Minister Whitlam made assurances of Australian non-intervention, and even encouraged the Indonesia action to take over East Timor in 1975. Subsequent killings and famine eliminated one-third, or 200,000, of the territory's population. In subsequent years Australia became the only foreign government to afford complete recognition of the incorporation, even representing Indonesia's case in that regard to the UN.

***Public opinion**

The proportion of those voters mentioning Indonesia as a threat reached one in five after the Dili massacre of 1991 and increased to three in ten after the atrocities in East Timor following its 1999 independence referendum. In 2004, an Australian Strategic Policy Institute survey showed 29% of those polled identified Indonesia as 'most likely' to pose a threat to Australia in the future, a slight decline from the figure of 31% recorded in 2001. In all surveyed periods, Indonesia was unambiguously recognised as the country representing the most likely threat to Australia.

***Australian aid to Indonesia**

In some areas, like education, development aid to Indonesia traces back to the early 1950s commencing with scholarships funded through the Colombo Plan.

Under the Australia-Indonesia Partnership (AIP), which includes the A$1 billion committed by Australia following the Indian Ocean tsunami, Australia is providing funds to help rebuild communities in Aceh and in other disaster affected areas, and to promote economic growth across Indonesia. Combined with the pre-existing Australia-to-Indonesia program it boosts the value of the Australia-to-Indonesia aid over a five year period from 2005 to A$2 billion(figure includes at least A$500 million in concessional loans)

The AIP is governed by a Joint Commission, overseen by the Prime Minister of Australia and the President of Indonesia.

In 2008-09, Indonesia is the largest recipient of Australian aid at a value of AUD462 million.

Some examples of the assistance given or to be given (all figures A$):

$50 million for restoration of services in Aceh  
600 scholarships  
$10 million for emergency response capacity building  
$50 million for 'government-to-government partnerships'  
$328 million loans/grants for road improvement  
$300 million loans/grants for school construction and rehabilitation

During a Bilateral meeting in the Indonesian Island of Bali on 10 December 2008,Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd made an announcement that Australia will Contribute about $650 million to Indonesia to survive the Global Credit Crisis.

***In 1994, Prime Minister Paul Keating said:**

"No country is more important to Australia than Indonesia. If we fail to get this relationship right, and fail to nurture and develop it, the whole web of our foreign relations is incomplete... The emergence of the New Order government of President Suharto, and the stability and prosperity has brought to Indonesia the single most beneficial strategic development to have affected Australia and its region in the past thirty years. We need to encourage the use of popular media with positive input such as 'Why can't we be friends? Why can't we be friends? Why can't we be friends? Why can't we be friends?' This is the exact sought of opinions we need."

**Information was taken from Wikipedia.**


End file.
